Depression is all encompassing and multifaceted. Although its symptoms are generally similar, they can also vary from individual to individual. The way depression manifests itself is unique and personal—much like sex. Depression can affect every aspect of your life, including your sexual function.

Emotion regulation

Sex is a natural mood booster, so it can help with symptoms of depression. Orgasms flood your brain with oxytocin, dopamine, endorphins, and mambo 36 pills endocannabinoids that stimulate your nerves, increase your happiness, and improve cognitive function. For some, depression can feel like a safety net because they know it. Darkness can become home after so long depression. Choosing to deviate from this can almost feel like a betrayal.

Depression is a real mental illness that often involves feelings of low self-esteem and deep sadness, making emotional regulation difficult. Some people living with depression become quite sad or hopeless when they dwell on negative thoughts, which leads to a decrease in motivation to change, which can cause them to avoid sex or anything that promotes happiness. Although they want to be happy, they may find themselves reinforcing negative emotions with external elements such as dysphoric music and movies. Unfortunately, many people living with depression believe that they don't deserve to experience joy, so they maintain their depression—perhaps even subconsciously.

Excitement and emotion

Sex is an intimate and personal physical act that is very much related to a person's emotional state. It can heighten your feelings, which can be overwhelming, either positive or negative. Sex causes a rush of hormones that can help you feel liberated and release tension. Or you may feel vulnerable and cause unwanted reactions such as guilt, shame or embarrassment. It can bring up feelings that you may not want to experience.

You might be avoiding sex because you're not ready to deal with these challenging emotions yet, or because you don't want to deal with them at all. Or you can experience anhedonia, which is where you can't experience interest or pleasure in anything. Experiencing these intense emotions can make you want to escape reality by any means necessary, from leaving relationships to self-medicating with recreational drugs.

Understanding and communication

Treating depression can often help low libido and strengthens the connection between you and a healthier, happier lifestyle. While antidepressants can help some, unfortunately they can also reduce sexual desire or interfere with arousal and orgasm. Your partner may not recognize or understand what is happening, which can adversely affect their self-esteem. They may wonder why you are no longer interested in sex and think they have done something wrong.

Communication is essential for a healthy relationship. Sex therapists can help you understand and process what you're going through, which can help you be honest with your partner. A sex therapist can also help you and your partner reframe the experience so that you are both able to recognize that your low sex drive is not a reflection on them. A sex therapist can also help you talk to your partner about how you feel.

If medication is helping your depression symptoms but is adversely affecting your sex drive, talk to your doctor and partner. You can find a happy medium. You and your partner can find ways to please each other and raise those feel-good endorphins together, such as redefining intimacy through open and honest communication and exploring to find what works best for you.

Sex and depression

Whatever life next to depression looks like for you, you deserve to be happy and your partner deserves to understand what you're going through. There are resources available to help you maintain your sex drive and live a healthier and happier life.